Current top drysuits for rec diving

[stuartv]

I would add shoulder protection on that list. The shoulder strap webbing will do the same damage as your crotch strap.
Why do you need to reinforce the elbows anyway?
And I find the knee reinforcement also redundant if you have good buoyancy.

I've carried double steel 120s one a Hogarthian rigged BP/W in my Seaskin trilam numerous times. I don't show any signs of wear on the shoulders. I would not bother with extra shoulder protection.

I would not bother with extra crotch protection, either, unless, one, you were going to be scootering, and two, you don't have a "soft" webbing crotch strap. Personally, all my crotch straps are either a soft webbing material, have a neoprene sleeve over the webbing, or are a split (Y-shaped) strap. I.e. for ME, I wouldn't bother with extra crotch protection, either.

I did get elbow and knee protection. Sometimes when I'm in a wreck it happens - a knee or an elbow will hit something. A bulkhead - the bottom of hatch, whatever. My buoyancy is not perfect. Neither is my awareness of exactly where my extremities are at all times. Sometimes I do screw up. And, I like the Kevlar knee pads that Seaskin offers because they ARE a little padded. So, when I'm on the boat and kneel down to look for something under my bench, the knee padding makes it a little more comfortable.

 

[Danny D]

Made the Buoyancy comment so that neoprene was not suggested. I do not want to go back to my Atlan days after enjoying lams for years.

Read through your Seaskin review thread in its entirety into the wee hours this morn and I have items in my shopping cart now...

 

[lexvil]

The Seaskin nova with no added protections has held up wonderfully, no signs of wear at all other than fading a little.

The ultra compressed neoprene doesn’t get used as much because it’s back zip.

For the past several months I’ve been diving a used pinnacle black ice (compressed neoprene) because it’s a front zip, it probably 2 sizes to small by the charts, mostly being a little tough to get over my head but for the most part it’s perfect with very light layers underneath and I’m warm, and staying warm is very important for me.

 

[Bald Wookie]

I would add shoulder protection on that list. The shoulder strap webbing will do the same damage as your crotch strap.
Why do you need to reinforce the elbows anyway?
And I find the knee reinforcement also redundant if you have good buoyancy.

Inside a wreck or in surge-prone areas I've always found the knees and elbows to take a hit.
Depending on your finning technique, and whether you're using a scooter, the extra crotch protection is nice.

Shoulder protection I've never found to be an issue, even with doubles. There is minimal shoulder movement with and around the straps vs. the movement of the crotch, so the wear is very little. I should add, the crotch protection I recommend as there is more interaction with the edges of the webbing as opposed to the flat wear on the shoulders.

I agree though, the elbow protection is not required if you're not in a wreck or surge area. Knees I always recommend, as eventually everyone either hits them on a ladder, a rock, or simply kneels down to pick something up with their tanks on their back and scrapes them a little.

 

[Bald Wookie]

I've carried double steel 120s one a Hogarthian rigged BP/W in my Seaskin trilam numerous times. I don't show any signs of wear on the shoulders. I would not bother with extra shoulder protection.

I would not bother with extra crotch protection, either, unless, one, you were going to be scootering, and two, you don't have a "soft" webbing crotch strap. Personally, all my crotch straps are either a soft webbing material, have a neoprene sleeve over the webbing, or are a split (Y-shaped) strap. I.e. for ME, I wouldn't bother with extra crotch protection, either.

I did get elbow and knee protection. Sometimes when I'm in a wreck it happens - a knee or an elbow will hit something. A bulkhead - the bottom of hatch, whatever. My buoyancy is not perfect. Neither is my awareness of exactly where my extremities are at all times. Sometimes I do screw up. And, I like the Kevlar knee pads that Seaskin offers because they ARE a little padded. So, when I'm on the boat and kneel down to look for something under my bench, the knee padding makes it a little more comfortable.

Pretty much this.
I'm considering moving to a 1 inch crotch webbing from the Halcyon webbing because I feel it might reduce the wear. The Halcyon stuff is great, but 2 inch webbing is not so soft.
Thats another discussion altogether though

 

[Bald Wookie]

Made the Buoyancy comment so that neoprene was not suggested. I do not want to go back to my Atlan days after enjoying lams for years.

Read through your Seaskin review thread in its entirety into the wee hours this morn and I have items in my shopping cart now...

I have the Abyss suit in Newfoundland as the sea surface temp drops below 0*C. Anywhere south of Maine I would use my DUI 50/50 suit. An older style, but reliable. The neoprene is worth it when you deal with the cold waters year-round here.

But if you have nice summers, or just don't have the cold like we do here, I fully respect a tri-lam and would be right there with you in one.

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

I dive a Ursuit SoftDura / Deep6 Makara. It is the same suit with some Deep6 modifications. It is great suit and I would put it up against some of the best highest priced ones.Previously I have owned an O'Three compressed neoprene suit. While the suit was built very tough and heavy duty, I was very disappointed with the fit. Even though I had ordered a custom, they attempted to make it custom by modifying an existing cut and it was a very bad idea. I ended up selling it on Ebay for peanuts. If you can get the suit fit you then I agree that O'three neoprene is one heck of a suit. I would like to hear about their trilam suit though.

 

[EireDiver606]

Neoprene compresses by 50% after 10 m depth. This is because the air bubbles inside neoprene compress significantly with greater pressure.

Compressed neoprene still does compress at depth just not as much as standard neoprene. The air bubbles are still rounded like neoprene.

Crushed neo is compressed even more so compresses less at depth even compared to compressed neo. The air bubbles inside the crushed neoprene is now flat, not rounded.

Trilam will never compress as there are no air bubbles within the suit material to compress.

Just thought I’d share seen as some are spreading misinformation. Hope that helps.

 

[stuartv]

Neoprene compresses by 50% after 10 m depth. This is because the air bubbles inside neoprene compress significantly with greater pressure.

Compressed neoprene still does compress at depth just not as much as standard neoprene. The air bubbles are still rounded like neoprene.

Crushed neo is compressed even more so compresses less at depth even compared to compressed neo. The air bubbles inside the crushed neoprene is now flat, not rounded.

Trilam will never compress as there are no air bubbles within the suit material to compress.

Just thought I’d share seen as some are spreading misinformation. Hope that helps.

Mostly true.

But, a 3mm compressed neoprene is so thin to start with that the little bit that it does compress is pretty much negligible, when it comes affecting your buoyancy. At least, that's how it seems to be with the 2 different compressed neoprene suits I own or have owned.

 

[jale]

Neoprene compresses by 50% after 10 m depth. This is because the air bubbles inside neoprene compress significantly with greater pressure.

Compressed neoprene still does compress at depth just not as much as standard neoprene. The air bubbles are still rounded like neoprene.

Crushed neo is compressed even more so compresses less at depth even compared to compressed neo. The air bubbles inside the crushed neoprene is now flat, not rounded.

Trilam will never compress as there are no air bubbles within the suit material to compress.

Just thought I’d share seen as some are spreading misinformation. Hope that helps.

It is not about misinformation, it is about applied information in real life.
theory against practice
For having quite a number of deep dives with different DS, I can tell you that there is not perceptive differences between compressed, crushed and trilan.
But it is better you check it yourself